Coin sorting and counting machine



July 10, 1934. I E LEWIS n 1,965,926

COIN SORTING AND COUNTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 26, 1952 ATTO R N EYPatented July 10, i934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i COIN SORTING ANDCOUNTING MACHINEv if Eben Lewis, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

Application September 26, 1932, Serial No. 634,976

1 Claim.

The invention relates to a coin sorting and counting machine.

The primary object kof the invention is the provision of a machine ofthis character wherein coins of varying denominations can be fed intothe machine so that under gravity action these coins will be segregatedor sorted and deposited within receivers or depositories therefor, theseserving to group the sorted coins into determined numbers so that eachstack will be made up of a determined number of such coins and thus itcan be determined the particular coin of the stack.

' Another object ofthe invention is the provision of a machineof thischaracter wherein the coins to be sorted and counted will be caused bygravity action to traverse runways, these being adjustable to regulatethe rolling action of the coins in the operation of the machine and suchrolling action causes the sorting or segregating of the coins of varyingdenominations and their deposit with accuracy in the number of eachassortment, the machine in its entirety being of novel form foreiiciency in the operation thereof without regard to the number of coinshandled thereby.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine of thischaracter wherein the mounting of the runways for the rolling action ofcoins introduced for the sorting thereof will eliminate any possibilityof a choking action by the coins during their activity by gravity forVassortment according to determined denominations thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a machine ofthis character wherein the sorting action is attained by gravity andsuch machine in its construction enables it to be marketed-at a lowprice and tooperate efcaciously and with the same degree of accuracy ofmore complicated or higher priced machines.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a machine ofthis character which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly 45.reliable and eiicient in its purpose, strong, du-

rable, readily and easily adjusted, susceptible of enabling a count at aglance of the coins in their assorted condition, and also inexpensive tomanufacture.

With these and other objects inv view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of thenvention, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:`

Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine constructed in accordance withthe invention showing the front panel thereof removed and the cover orlid in raised position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a perspectiveview of the coin till. 05

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows. f Similar reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the machine comprises a body 10having an open upper end 11 and front 12 respectively, this open frontbeing extended from the open upper end to a point removed from thebottom 13 of said body 75 and is forwardly inclined. Removably closingthe open front 12 is a front panel 14, the same being tted for removalin any desirable manner to the body. The open upper end 11 is normallyclosed by a hinged lid or cover 15, the hinge 16 80 connecting it to theback 17 of the body 10 for vertical swinging movement of said lid. It ispreferable to have a hand hold 18 on the lid for the manual opening orclosing of the same.

'Arranged interiorly of the body 10 is a forwardly inclined tiltablepartition which may be termed a shelf 19, the tilting being had throughthe medium of a hinge 20 connecting. the shelf to the back 17 of thebody. The shelf 19 is secured in an adjusted position by the use of. asubstantially L-shaped fitting 21 having threaded therein a set screw22, the latter being passed through a slot 23 formed in one side wall ofthe body 10, the screw having a knurled head 24 outside of the body 10so that the same can be man- 95 ually turned for the loosening ortightening thereof and on loosening of this screw the shelf 19 can beadjusted to vary the angular disposition thereof within the body 10.Upon tightening the screw the shelf 19 will be fixed within the body.

Slidable through the front of the body 10 below the panel 14 and theshelf 19 is a coin drawer 25 having arranged therein vertical tubes orcylinders 26 constituting depositories for coins of varyingdenominations. These tubes or cylinders 26 are of an extent so that uponthe lling thereof with the coins deposited therein an accurate count maybe had of the contents of the respective tubes. This drawer 25 is alsoprovided with an overflow pocket 27 for coins failing in 11G depositwithin the tubes or cylinders 26. On pulling outwardly upon the drawerthrough a' hand knob 28 access may be conveniently had to the respectivetubes or cylinders 26 therein for the removal of the coins as containedwithin these tubes or cylinders.

Arranged within the upper open end 11 of the body 10 is a coin till orchute 29 which is swingingly supported within said body by pivots 30 sothat on the lifting of this till or chute at its forward edge the samecan be brought to a rearward inclination and normally the till or chuteis lowered to horizontal position within the body 10 to be at rest uponbrackets 31 interiorly of said body and in this position the lid 15 maybe brought to closed position covering the upper open end 1l of thebody. The lid when raised may be maintained in this position through apivoted keeper 32 thereon engageable with one side edge of the upperopen end 11 of the body 10 as is clearly shown in Figure l of thedrawing.

The till or chute 29 is formed with a delivery opening 33 cut into thesame centrally thereof from its rearmost edge and within the till orchute are rearwardly converging guide rails 34 which direct coins placedwithin the till or chute to the delivery opening 33 when said till orchute is rearwardly inclined in the position shown in Figure 2 of thedrawing so that the coins placed will gravitate toward and be deliveredthrough the opening 33 for a purpose presently described.

Carried by the shelf 19 are the upper, lower and intermediate runwaysections or feeders 35, 36 and 37 respectively, the intermediate sectionor feeder 37 being reversed to the upper and lower sections or feeders35 and 36. These Vsections or feeders 35, 36 and 37 each at one end isswingingly supported upon a pivot 38 while the opposite end isadjustably held by a fastening 39 engaged in the shelf 19 and working ina slot 40 formed therein. Thus it may be seen that these sections orfeeders 35, 36 and 37 can be adjusted to alter the extent of inclinethereof. The lower section 36 and intermediate section 37 carry curvedresilient guide terminals 41 and the disposition of said sections orfeeders upon the shelf 19 is such that the same intercommunicate withone another and the inner communicative points therebetween have thespring guides 4l arranged therewith. The shelf 19 and lfollowing thelower section or feeder 36 has formed therein varying sized sortingholes or openings 42, these being sized correspondingly to predetermineddenominations of coins and will cause the sorting of the selecteddenomination of coins by discharging the same therethrough from thesection or feeder 36, whence such sorted coins will fall or drop intothe containers or cylinders 26 immediately beneath the respective holesor openings 42 in the shelf 19 and within the drawer 25. The till orchute 29 has its delivery opening 33 confronting the upper section orfeeder 35 as is clearly apparent in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing andcoins tossed or placed therein of varying denomination will be caused togravitate therefrom into the section or feeder 35, whence the said coinsreceived therein will be caused to roll following the inclination ofthis section or feeder and under gravity action will travel therefromthrough the intermediate section or feeder 37 and finally along thesection or feeder 36 until the same reach the matched hole or opening 42in the shelf 19 and thus by the disposition of the latter the coinmatching the hole or opening 42 will drop therethrough intoits containeror cylinder 26 and when the same becomes lled this will convey to theuser of the machine an accurate count of the coins therein, thusobviating the handling of the coins for counting purposes. If desirable,suitable wrappers may be placed within the containers or cylinders 26for the wrapping of the sorted coins on deposit therein.

It should be apparent that the gravitation through rolling action of thecoins within the runways causes the automatic sorting of the said coinswhen traveling in their rolling operation through the section or feeder36 as only those coins matching the openings or holes 42 sizedcorrespondingly thereto will drop through such holes or openings andbecome deposited in the containers or cylinders 26 in the drawer 25.

The gravity action of the machine can be regulated by adjustment of thesections or feeders 35, 36 and 37 and the spring guides 4l whencontacting with the coins in their rolling travel control the speed ofthe coins traversing such sections or feeders and these coins are underperfect control due to the changed directional course of the same, theyfollowing a zigzag course from the till or chute 29 to the drawer 25.

The lid 15 of the body 10 when closed protects the runways for the coinsso as to avoid any deposit of foreign matter therein which would have atendency to obstruct the travel of said coins during the sortingoperation of the machine from thev chute to the drawer.

What is claimed is:

A coin sorting machine comprising a body, an

adjustable partition arranged in the body and forwardly inclined, aplurality of coinv runways on said partition and disposed one above theother in zigzag relation to each other, said partition having variablysized sorting holes therein and opening into the lowermost runway,terminal guides arranged with relation to the runways, to have the sameintercommunicative with each other, and connections between t -epartition and runways to vary the zigzag relation thereof.

EBEN LEWIS.

